Historical Misperceptions Quiz

Just because something is written in a history book doesn't make it true. Some of the most recognized names and events in history are exaggerated, glossed over or just plain wrong. Take our quiz to see if you can separate fact from fiction.

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Question 1 of 30

True or false: Pocahontas married Capt. John Smith.

true

false

Pocahontas was just a child when she met and allegedly rescued Smith. She did get kidnapped by the English at age 17 and married one of the colonists as a condition of her release.

Question 2 of 30

Why did Paul Revere take his midnight ride?

to escape a jail sentence

The British were coming.

The British were leaving.

Revere took his famous ride to warn the colonists that the British were leaving Boston, not arriving. He also never called them "the British" and likely referred to them as "the regulars."

Question 3 of 30

Which of these man-made objects can be seen from the moon?

Great Wall of China

Great Pyramid

neither of the above

Astronauts who've taken a trip to the moon have confirmed that you can't see the Great Wall or any man-made objects from space, much less from the moon.

Question 4 of 30

True or false: Napoleon was really short.

true

false

In Napoleon's time, the French inch was different than the English inch, leading many to believe that Napoleon was short. Turns out he was of average or above-average height for a man of the period.

Question 5 of 30

Who said, "Let them eat cake"?

Marie Antoinette

There is zero evidence that Marie Antoinette suggested starving peasants eat cake in lieu of bread. In fact, the famous quote attributed to her was also attributed to several other royals well before Antoinette's reign.

Queen Victoria

neither of the above

Question 6 of 30

How many "witches" were killed during the Salem witch trials?

seven

20

The Salem trials resulted in 20 deaths, but none of the supposed witches were burned at the stake. Most were hung, while one was crushed to death using heavy stones.

47

Question 7 of 30

True or false: Ben Franklin probably never did that whole key-kite thing during a lightning storm.

true

While history books often suggest that Franklin used a kite to prove the existence of electricity, "Mythbusters" proved several centuries later that such an experiment would result in certain death.

false

Question 8 of 30

What city was destroyed by fire in 64 C.E.?

Paris

London

Rome

More than 70 percent of Rome burned and half the population was left homeless after a 64 C.E. fire swept through Rome.

Question 9 of 30

What was the emperor doing, according to rumor, as Rome burned?

dancing

running away

playing the fiddle

The fiddle didn't make it to Rome until 1,000 years after Nero's reign, so it's pretty unlikely that he actually fiddled as Rome burned around him.

Question 10 of 30

Why did Lady Godiva ride naked through the streets?

to protest taxes

Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets to protest high taxes — except there's no account of this event happening during her lifetime, and it was likely made up by a creative biographer more than a century after her death.

to make her husband mad

to attract a new husband

Question 11 of 30

What did Romans do in vomitoriums?

vomit

attend big events

No, Romans did not gather in big buildings for group vomit sessions. Vomitoriums were stadiums that were so named because of how quickly they could spew big crowds from their exits.

bathe

Question 12 of 30

True or false: The maximum life span for humans has increased dramatically over the past 2,000 years.

true

false

The maximum life span for humans has remained constant for millennia. It's only the reduced infant mortality rates over the years that make people think humans are living longer.

Question 13 of 30

True or false: Vikings wore horned helmets in battle.

true

false

There is not a single shred of evidence that Vikings wore horned helmets. That familiar Viking image was probably created by 19th century artists.

Question 14 of 30

True or false: Columbus was brave to set sail across a world that most believed was flat.

true

false

Columbus may have been brave, but people have known that the world was round since ancient Greek mathematicians figured it out in the 6th century B.C.E.

Question 15 of 30

Where did Columbus actually land when he "discovered" America (a land where millions of people were already living)?

Canada

North Carolina

Caribbean

Columbus never set foot in the modern-day United States. He never even went north of the Bahamas during his famous voyage.

Question 16 of 30

What were George Washington's false teeth made from?

bone

ivory

Washington never used wooden teeth; no one at the time did. Instead, his well-documented chompers were made of ivory, gold and lead.

wood

Question 17 of 30

When was the Declaration of Independence signed?

July 3

July 4

Aug. 2

The colonists may have declared independence and adopted the document on July 4th, but they didn't get around to signing it until Aug. 2.

Question 18 of 30

What allegedly started the Chicago fire of 1871?

No one knows.

arsonist

cow

There isn't any evidence that poor Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over a lantern to start the blaze. In fact, a group of reporters admitted years later to making up the story to sell papers.

Question 19 of 30

True or false: Albert Einstein was a phenomenal student when he was young.

true

Contrary to rumor, Einstein was just as smart when he was young as he was in his later years. He did fail the entry exam for Zurich Polytechnic, largely because he was younger than the other test takers, and the exam was in French, a language he wasn't fluent in.

false

Question 20 of 30

True or false: Benjamin Franklin suggested using a turkey on the seal of the United States.

true

false

While Franklin questioned whether an eagle was the right choice for the seal, he never suggested that a turkey would be a better option.

Question 21 of 30

What day is Mexican Independence Day?

May 5

July 4

Sept. 16

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican victory over the French in the French-Mexican War in 1862. Independence Day in Mexico is Sept. 16th.

Question 22 of 30

How many years elapsed between Mexican independence and the first Cinco de Mayo?

two

27

52

Mexico declared its independence in 1810, while the victory resulting in Cinco de Mayo celebrations took place 52 years later, in 1862.

Question 23 of 30

True or false: Betsy Ross created the first American flag.

true

false

Not only is there no evidence to support the idea that Ross created the flag, but even the Betsy Ross House museum urges visitors to weigh both sides of the first-flag story.

Question 24 of 30

True or false: George Washington chopped down a cherry tree as a child, but at least he admitted it to his dad.

true

false

The cherry tree story simply isn't based in fact and was likely dreamed up by an unscrupulous Washington biographer after the president's death.

Question 25 of 30

True or false: Vincent van Gogh chopped off his ear.

true

Van Gogh did indeed slice off a portion of his left ear. Thankfully, it was just a sliver, not the entire appendage.

false

Question 26 of 30

What did van Gogh do with his severed ear?

gave it to his mom

gave it to a prostitute

After gifting his ear to a prostitute, van Gogh spent a year in an institution where he painted some of his best works, including "The Starry Night."

ate it

Question 27 of 30

True or false: Capt. James Cook discovered Australia.

true

false

It's hard to discover a place where millions of people have lived, but Cook was the first European to land a vessel on the continent in 1770.

Question 28 of 30

True or false: Thomas Edison invented the world's first light bulb.

true

false

Edison wasn't the first to invent a light bulb, but he was the first to make it commercially viable, which helped the technology spread rapidly.

Question 29 of 30

Who built the Egyptian pyramids?

slaves

skilled workers

The pyramid builders were compensated for their work and well-cared for too boot, with medical care provided on site.

aliens

Question 30 of 30

True or false: Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope.

true

false

Several drafts of the famous speech survive to this day, and several are neatly written, proving that the story of Lincoln dashing off the document on an envelope while riding a bumpy train are false.